Bill Pirkle wrote:

>If you had to select 10 compositions to introduce someone to classical
>music which ones would you choose? Remember, you don't want to turn
>them off with works that are hard to understand.  They should include
>symphonies, concertos, and trios, quartets and piano works.

As most no-classical-listeners say about classical music: "It is good when
you are about to sleep", I wouldn't focus on such pieces, which are good
when you are about to sleep.  (For me, very different kinds are good for
sleeping, but thats not what they mean).

* Khachaturian: Sabre Dance
* Grieg: In the Hall of the Mountain King
* Bizet: Les Toreadors
* Beethoven: Moonlight Sonata
* Wagner: Walkuerenritt
* Haendel: Water- or Fireworksmusic
* Monteverdi: Toccata & Moresca from "L'Orfeo"
* Tjajkovskij: Dances from Swan Lake Suite
* Mahler 1st Sinfonie, 4th Movement
* J.Strauss [Sohn]: Highlights from the Operettas

I have made my list after my believes about introducing CM to a person in
my age or younger.  I presume the person in question not just don't know
any classical except from ..._ etc, but also even has a belief that he
dislikes CM.  Most of pieces I have chosen are very short, and I think just
a too lengthy piece may cause dislike, even if the music is good.  Remember
most pop/rock songs are shorter than 3 minutes, and I think about five
minutes is the limit of pain for a person with the belief he dislikes CM.
Mahlers 1st, 4th movement seems to be the fish among the marmots or how to
say it.  But I have once got a guy, who had no clue about CM, to confess he
liked it with corrupting him with Mahler 1:4.

Mats Norrman
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